Script Page 61 Chrissy (snooty) And what's that? Conelly Your parents aren't always right. Roberta (somewhat bitter) No shit. As they enjoy their cigarettes they contemplate the statement. It's news to a twelve year old. Chrissy looks at her Timex. Chrissy It's getting late. I really think we should get going. Samantha (reluctantly) I guess she's right. Samantha takes a final puff off her cigarette and puts it out. They all stand. Conelly puts on his back pack as the girls hop on their bikes. Samantha (to Conelly) So where are you off to now? Conelly I'm not sure. It's a big world. A lot of places to see. Samantha looks at him in awe. Samantha That's really cool As the girls slowly take off down the road. All Girls Bye. He waves goodbye as they ride ahead. Samantha turns back to him. Samantha Hey! Conelly Yeah? Samantha Whatever it is you're lookin' for. I hope you find it. Page 62 He smiles at her, she smiles back. A shared connection. Brief but one neither will forget. Samantha catches up with the others. Ext. Country Hill Road - Later Cue Up: "Wouldn't it be Nice" by the Beach Boys as the girls ride over the crest of a hill then coast down it, with no hands. Free as a bird with the wind at their backs. Ext. Gaslight Addition - Evening As the sun sinks behind the skyline, the gas lamps posts flicker on. The girls whiz by on their bikes. One by one, they split up and head toward their respective homes. Ext. Residential Street - Day The wrong side of the tracks. A pocket of houses nestled in an industrial area. Couches on front porches. Peeling paint. Mean dogs. The girls ride down the street on their bikes. Teeny This is it. They stop in front of a run down house where a neon sign flashes: Spiritual Guidance. The shades and shutters are closed tight. Roberta Well, what are we waiting for? They park their bikes and head up the walkway. Samantha rings the doorbell and they wait. The door slowly creeks open and Wiladine greets them, wearing a long flowing black dress, matching gloves and head dress. The only thing she's missing is a broom. Wiladine Yes? Samantha We need your help. Wiladine I'm a little blue today, boys. Chrissy opens the tree house money coffee can and whips out a ten dollar bill. Chrissy Will this cheer you up? Page 63 Wiladine takes the $10 and stuffs it into her breast pocket. Wiladine Come on in. As they do: Chrissy I can't believe we're spending ten tree house dollars on Wiladine. Int. Dining/Spiritual Reading Room - Moments later Dozen of candles flame as they enter. Wiladine Be seated. They sit at a round table. A Ouiji board in the center. Wiladine I feel a strong spiritual presence around us. Chrissy For ten tree house dollars I'd feel it too. Wiladine Silence. She glares devil eyes at Chrissy, who shuts up, intimidated. Wiladine Why are you here? Samantha We've been contacted by a spirit. Wiladine You've seen this presence? Samantha Once, I think. Teeny His name is Jonathan Simms. Wiladine I know. Wiladine lets her head drop, then starts rolling it around. Chrissy and Roberta look at her then each other. Roberta shrugs. Page 64 Wiladine The spirits are here and yes they want to talk to you. Everyone rest your finger tips on the Ouiji. The girls comply and touch the Ouiji. Wiladine Jonathan Simms, voice of the dead, what say you? The Ouiji begins to move and the girls exchange looks. All wondering if the other is the culprit. Chrissy (to Teeny) You're doing it. Teeny (sincere) I'm not. I swear. Wiladine Shhhhhh. One letter at a time the Ouiji spells out a message. As it stops at the various letters Wiladine announces the message: Wiladine I...Am....Him Chrissy (sarcastic) Oh, it's him. Wiladine (whispers) Silence, while the dead speaks. The Ouiji continues to spell out... Wiladine I...Am...With ...U. Roberta Shit Samantha What do you want from us? The Ouiji continues at a heightened pace. Sporadic. Wiladine T....R.....U....T.... Page 65 Samantha Truth. Teeny (way into it) He wants us to find out the truth. Wiladine What is the truth, Jonathan? The Ouiji moves frantically in circles. Chrissy (Spooked) Maybe we should stop now. The Ouiji suddenly whizzes toward Chrissy and startled, she pushes it away from her. The Ouiji jumps off the board and sticks to Wiladine's hand. Samantha pulls the Ouiji away from Wiladine's hand and when she releases it, it flies back up and sticks to a silver ring on Wiladine's finger. We see the magnet attached to the bottom of the plastic piece. Chrissy The dead speaks, alright. Wiladine shrugs. Wiladine It's a living. Samantha We believed in you Wiladine. Thanks for nothing. Samantha grabs the $10 from Wiladine's pocket and hands it back to Chrissy who stuffs it back into the cooffe can. Samantha stands, ready to leave, when -- Wiladine Look, I'm sorry. Sometimes the spirits really do talk. You just have to catch 'em on a good day. Let's give it another try. On me. Samantha sits back down. Samantha No more bullshit, Wiladine. Wiladine No more bullshit. I promise Page 66 Wiladine removes a deck of tarot cards from a gold box and hands them to Samantha. Wiladine Shuffle the cards. Samantha moves around the cards then hands the deck back to Wiladine. As she lays ten cards out on the table face down. Wiladine Relax your minds and bodies. Be open to his presence. One by one she turns the cards over. The card in front of Samantha inspires her to react: Wiladine He's connected to you. The air conditioner kicks on and the room grows cold. Icy breath as they exhale. Chrissy grabs Roberta's arm for comfort. Squeezes. Wiladine turns over another card. Wiladine The card of death. Chrissy utters a scared gasp. Samantha We want to know how he died. Wiladine lifts a card off the deck and lays it on top of the death card. When she realizes it's significance she tenses. Samantha What is it Wiladine? Wiladine There's evil here. She slowly takes another card from the deck and lays it on the table. Angle on the card - which portrays a man in black stabbing a dagger into another figure. Wiladine turns to the girls, visibly frightened. Wiladine I think you girls should go now. The girls exchange curious looks. Page 67 Samantha What's wrong? Wiladine (frightened) Please, the session is over. Ext. Wiladine's House - Moments later The girls ride their bicycles back toward the Gaslight Addition. They're spooked....and excited. Teeny Did you see the look on her face? Samantha She was scared. Chrissy You guys, Wiladine's a fake. Roberta Bullshit. She was scared and so were you. Teeny What do we do now? Samantha A spirit haunts the living with a purpose. "Dear Johnny" wants us to find out how he died. Teeny You saw that card. He was murdered. Roberta (real tough) Maybe he wants us to help him settle the score. Chrissy This is getting out of hand. Samantha We need to talk to someone who was around when "Dear Johnny" died. Teeny Like who? Page 68 Samantha My grandma's the oldest person I know. Ext. Town Square - Later Teeny, Roberta and Chrissy sit on their bikes and wait as Samantha stands in a phone booth and talks into the receiver. Finally, Samantha hangs up and exists the phone booth. Samantha She has her poker game this afternoon, but she says we can come tomorrow morning. Chrissy Your grandma plays poker? Samantha She likes to gamble. Roberta I promised my dad we'd paint the garage door tomorrow. That's fifteen tree house bucks. Samantha We'll do it first thing, then we'll go to my Grandma's. Reverend Taylor, a local minister, heads up the sidewalk toward the girls. Reverend Taylor Good afternoon girls. Girls Hi. Reverend Taylor Staying out of trouble this summer? Chrissy Of course. Reverend Taylor Tina, I'm happy to see you. Teeny (suspicious) You are? Page 69 Reverend Taylor Miss Shari tells me you haven't been to bible school classes for the last two weeks. I've been meaning to give your mother a call. Is everything alright? Teeny Well....(a liar on the spot) well, no actually. Everything isn't alright and I don't think we should be bothering my mother right now. Reverend Taylor What seems to be the problem? Teeny There is nothing I'd like more than to spend my Sunday morning at the First Presbyterian but well, things have been a little troublesome at home and I feel like I'm more needed there. Reverend Taylor What sort of trouble? Teeny Well, my mother's been hitting the sauce lately. Especially on the weekends, cause that's when my dad goes to visit that younger woman he sees over in Grovertown. Mom's usually really hungover on Sunday mornings. Last week she was puking her guts out and I just couldn't leave her like that. And to top it all off, the girl he's giving it to in Groverstown thinks she's pregnant and it looks like we're going to be taking her in for a while. I think my mother plans to raise the baby like one of her own. I kind of like the idea of having a younger sister. The Reverend, at a loss for words, stands speechless for a moment. Reverend Taylor Well, try and make it next week. Teeny Don't you worry, Reverend Taylor. Come hell or high water. I'll be there. Reverend Taylor Good. Page 70 Surprising Samantha, he turns his attention to her. Reverend Tayor (with great concern) Aren't you the oldest Albertson girl? Samantha Yeah Reverend Taylor I heard about your "situation" at home. Samantha's heart drops. Reverend Taylor If you want to talk to someone, my door's always open. Samantha (embarrassed) Thanks. Reverend Taylor Well, if there's anything I can do. Samantha forces a nod and smile as he moves on and the girls look at her curiously. Teeny What was he talking about? Samantha Nothing. Chrissy Come on. Fess up. Samantha (pissed) I said nothing! Chrissy (to Teeny) Your mother will be thrilled to hear she's become an alcoholic and your dad is having an affair. Teeny Won't she though? Samantha You shouldn't joke about that kind of stuff. Teeny What's your problem? Page 71 Samantha (still pissed) I said nothing! Are you deaf? An athletic kid, Kenny, whizzes by on his bike. Roberta Hey Kenny, where's the fire? Kenny Softball game at Kindall's field. Roberta turns to the girls, excited: Roberta What do you say guys? Let's go! Chrissy (not enthused) It's gonna be all boys. Teeny (greatly enthused) So what are we waiting for? They all look to Samantha who's still a little morose. Teeny What do you say, Sam? Samantha We can't find out anymore about Johnny until we talk to my Grandma. Roberta So let's kick some ass! Cue Up "American Pie" by Don McLean as we cut to: Ext. Vacant field - Afternoon A neighborhood softball game in full swing. Enough boys and girls to fill every infield and outfield position on both teams. The stuff happy, childhood memories are made of. Our girls are on the team at bat. They sit on a wooden fence, behind home plate, flanked by boys on both sides. Kenny steps up to the plate and takes a few practice swings. He taps the plate with the bat. Ready. Outfielder Hey, batter batter batter -- Scott Wormer, the pitcher, tosses the ball. Page 72 Outfielder Swing. Kenny swings. Meets air. The catcher tosses the ball back to Scott. Roberta That's okay Kenny. Eye on the ball. Outfielder Hey, batter batter -- The pitcher throws. Kenny swings. Crack! Line drive. Kenny's on first. Roberta jumps off the fence and picks up a bat. Teeny The home run mama steps up to the plate. Samantha Just hit the ball Roberta. Cheers from her teammates. Morton, the nerd whose fortune Samantha told, smiles at Chrissy. Chrissy looks around. Can't believe he's flirting with her. Samantha whispers her ploy to Teeny then they both watch, amused. Roberta steps up to the plate and exchanges glares with Scott as the feud continues. Scott This is for yesterday. He throws the ball. Almost nails her with his fast pitch, but she jumps out of the way at the last second. Catcher Ball one. Scott shakes it off. Another pitch. Swing. Catcher Strike one. He throws the ball back to Scott. Outfielder Hey, batter-batter. Chrissy Come on Roberta. Touchdown. Teeny and Samantha roll their eyes. Chrissy will never learn. Morton climbs onto the fence and sits next to Chrissy. Page 73 Morton Hello dear. Chrissy Get lost, nerdo. Morton doesn't budge. Instead, he just sits there and smiles at her, lovingly, as if he knows their destiny. Outfielder Hey batter batter...swing. Strike two. Teeny Shake it off babe. Jimmy (O.S.) Who you kiddin'? Girls can't play softball. Roberta turns around and looks at Jimmy, the meanest kid in town. He sits on the fence, behind home plate. Roberta What did you say? Jimmy I said girls can't play softball. Teeny Uh, oh. Roberta drops the bat and approaches Jimmy. Chrissy Roberta, remember you're a lady? Jimmy Why don't you go home and play with your dolls? Chrissy turns to Morton who stands next to her. Chrissy The only doll Roberta's got is a GI Joe. Pow! Roberta socks Jimmy in the eye, knocking him off the fence. Outfielder (excited) Fight! The outfield runs in and circles Jimmy and Roberta as punches fly. They roll. Roberta winds up on top. She straddles Jimmy and beats the hell out of him. Page 74 Scott watches, impressed. Scott Come on Roberta, give it to him. Samantha tries to break it up. Samantha Roberta, come on that's enough. She finally manages to pull Roberta off the young chauvinist. Roberta's a mess. Chrissy Just look at your hair. Chrissy tries to fix it, but Roberta slaps her hand away. Jimmy stands, wipes his bloody nose on his shirt sleeve. Jimmy Crazy bitch Chrissy Foul mouth. Samantha How does it feel to have the crap knocked out of you by a girl? Jimmy (to Roberta) It's too bad your mother's dead. Somebody needs to teach you to act like a girl. This time it's Samantha who charges the punk and knocks him to the ground. Catcher Fight! The kids form another circle around the fighters and cheer them on. Int. Albertson House - Evening Samantha enters, dirty and roughed up. The smile on her face let's us know she looks better than Jimmy. Int. Living Room Page 75 Mrs. Albertson sits on the couch. All decked out. Looking good in her short, short hot pants. Mrs. Albertson There you are. Samantha, I want you to meet a friend of mine, Mr Kent. Previously hidden by the hi-back lazy boy, Mr. Kent stands, holding Angela in his arms. Mr. Kent Hi Samantha. He extends his hands to her. Mr. Kent Your mom's told me a lot of great things about you. Says you're a real good kid. She stares at him as he waits for her to shake his hand. Mrs. Albertson Samantha? She forces herself to extend her hand. They shake and he smiles a big, Cadillac salemen smile...and that's what he does for a living. The gold Cadillac emblem hanging around his neck is a dead give away. Mr. Kent Pleasure to meet you, little lady. Samantha forces a smile. Mr. Kent And you're a looker... He glances over a Mrs Albertsonm and smiles flirtatiously. Mr. Kent Just like your mommy. Mrs. Albertson accepts the compliment with a shy, but also flirtatious smile. Samantha watches the display, both shocked and grossed out. Int. Dining Room - Moments Later Soups on. The conversation is forced. Page 76 Mr. Kent So, Samantha I hear you're interested in science. Samantha Science fiction. Mr. Kent Have you ever been to the Smithsonian? She shakes her head no. Mr. Kent Oh, let me tell you, that's something to see. It's big. Bigger than big. Samantha continues to pick at her food, not enthused. Mr Kent looks at her mother. Mr. Kent Maybe we need to plan a trip to D.C. before school starts. Mrs. Albertson That would be just great. Wouldn't that be just great Samantha? She doesn't respond. Mr. Kent I think we'd all have a really good time. He tosses Mrs. Albertson a wink. We get the picture. Samantha can't believe what she's seeing. She takes evasive action. Samantha My dad's going to take us there. Tension. Mr Kent Well, hell. Samantha looks at him. He flashes that obnoxious smile. There's a big piece of spinach stuck between his two front teeth. Samantha Mr. Kent -- Mr. Kent Please, call me Bud. Page 77 Samantha Bug? Mr. Kent No, Bud. B.U.D. Samantha Oh... you've got a piece of food stuck in your teeth. Embarrassed, he reaches for his napkin and accidentally knocks over his wine glass. His shirt, soaked. Mr. Kent Damn. Mrs. Albertson It's okay. Hold on. I'm sure Ted left some clothes here. She leaves the room and Mr. Kent turns to Samantha. Mr. Kent (smiling) First date jitters. Samantha forces a fake smile back at him. Mrs. Albertson returns with a bowling shirt. Mrs. Albertson Try this. She helps him take off his shirt. He slips on Sam's father's bowling shirt. His name sewn on the pocket. Samantha pushes herself away from the table and runs out of the room. Mrs. Albertson Samantha? Int. Bathroom Samantha enters and locks the door. She pulls the lid up on the toilet and vomits. She moves to the sink and splashes water on her face. There's a knock on the door. Mrs. Albertson (O.S.) Samantha are you alright? Samantha opens the door and barges out past her mother. Page 78 Samantha What the hell do you care? Mrs. Albertson (shocked) Samantha! Int. Hallway - Foyer Samantha grabs her jacket and runs outside. The screen door slams shut behind her. Ext. Roberta's house - Night Roberta shoots hoops in her driveway. Scott walks passed the house. He stops and watches Roberta sink one. Roberta dribbles the ball back to the foul line. Shoots. Misses. Scott (O.S.) You're not following through. She turns. Roberta Who asked you? He shrugs. Away from his brothers, Scott seems shy and almost appealing. Silence. Scott Well, see ya. He starts to walk away. Roberta Hey! She tosses him the basketball. He looks up at her and smiles. This kid's got a crush on Roberta. Scott takes a shot. Makes it in. She rebounds, dribbles past him and makes a lay up. Scott takes the ball out and shots and misses. Roberta rebounds and shoots. Sinks it. Scott You're pretty good you know? Roberta (embarrassed) Thanks. She looks down at the ground and nervously shuffles her feet. Page 79 Scott And not just for a girl. But you know, for a guy. Roberta Thanks. He wipes some sweat from his forehead. Roberta You want a pop or something? Scott Sure Roberta, that'd be great. Ext. Back Yard Cue Up: "Fallin' in Love by Hamilton Joe Franks and Reynolds as Roberta and Scott rock on the porch swing. Scott looks at Roberta. She catches his glance. They exchange nervous smiles. Scott takes a swig of his coke. They swing. Scott (suddenly) Roberta? Roberta (startled) What? Scott Why do you think we fight all the time? Roberta thinks about it. Roberta Just somethin' to do I guess. Scott I was just wondering, cause I think you're an okay girl. Roberta I always thought you hated me. Scott So did I. The rock back and forth. He takes another swig of coke. Looks around nervously the scoots closer towards her. Roberta's aware of his movement but pretends she's not. He inches his way even closer. Coughs. Roberta stares straight ahead. He stretches then brings Page 80 his arm down around her shoulders. She decides to let him keep it there. Scott Roberta? Roberta (blunt) What? Scott (mumbling) CoulIkssyou? Roberta What are you mumbling? Scott Would it be alright if I - He stops. Sighs. Try's to find the strength to ask. I guess it's not so easy being the guy after all. Scott Can I kiss you? Roberta ponders the question. Looks around to make sure no one is watching, especially her three older brothers. Roberta I guess. Scott Really? Oh. Okay great. Are you ready? Roberta You wanna do it now? Scott Sure. Roberta Oh. She shrugs. Faces him. He inches his face closer to hers. His head tilts to the left. Hers to the right. Eyes close. Lips touch. First kiss. They pull away from each other. Scott That was nice. Roberta It was okay. Page 81 They swings silently. Listening to crickets and bull frogs. The sounds of a summer night. Roberta Scott? She's got his attention. Roberta If you mention this to anyone, especially your brothers, I'll beat the hell out of you. Ext. Teeny's House Through the front window we see Teeny's parents and a few of their friends enjoying cocktails and fondue. We pan up to the roof, where Teeny sits in a lawn chair. A bowl of popcorn on her lap and a bottle of coke by her side. The Drive-in is directly behind her house and Teeny watches tonight's feature presentation, "Love Story". As Ali MacGraw says "love is never having to say you're sorry", Teeny mouths the words. She knows the dialogue by heart and we realize you can probably find Teeny here every night of the week. Surprising Teeny, Samantha climbs onto the roof from the television antenna. Samantha How's the movie? Teeny Tear jerker. Samantha checks out the rooftop view of the Gaslight Addition. Teeny (concerned) How come you're out so late? Samantha I needed to do some thinking. Teeny In the summer? Teeny get's a smile out of Samantha, but still picks up on her friend's down and out mood. Teeny Wanna go try out the tree house? Page 82 Samantha (perks up) Sure. Ext. Shelby - Later Teeny and Samantha, who's still a bit solemn, silently ride their bikes in the night. Teeny gives Samantha an ornery look then takes off speeding ahead of Samantha, who quickly kicks it into gear and peddles after her. They race through the street of the small town. Teeny takes a short cut through a narrow alley, Samantha on her heels. It's neck and neck as they speed around the corner. Screech. Both girls skid to a stop when they see and hear -- Squeak Squeak Squeak. Crazy Pete riding his bicycle towards them. The girls don't move as Crazy Pete rides closer. He keeps his head down until the moment he passes by. Then, with a sudden movement, he looks up and makes eye contact with Samantha & Teeny. Teeny screams and takes off on her bike. Samantha quickly takes off after her. Crazy Pete continues in the opposite direction. He turns his head and watches them ride away. Teeny peddles at high speed. Samantha on her tail. Samantha Cut through the alley. Teeny makes a quick turn and speeds down a dark alley. She finally comes to a stop in the middle of an empty Sears parking lot. Samantha skids her bike to a stop beside her. They're out of breath. Teeny That was too close. Samantha Did you see his blood red eyes? Teeny Yeah, and his fangs. Samantha laughs at her obvious embellishment. Then Teeny laughs. It's infectious. Before you know it, they're laughing their asses off. They sit down in the middle of the big empty parking lot, holding their sides in hysterics. The laughter subsides and they catch their breath, but as soon as the look at each other, it starts all over. Gut busting giggles. They finally clam down. Samantha looks across the parking lot, at Page 83 the lit up Sears sign. Ext. Sears - Moments Later Samantha and Teeny climb a tall chain link fence and illegally trespass into Sear's lawn and garden shop. Behold -- the tree house they've been working all summers to buy. Teeny follows Samantha up the ladder and into the structure. Int. Tree House The cozy clubhouse is lit by a nearby street light. Samantha sits in the corner and Teeny lays on the floor. Teeny Truth or dare? Samantha Truth. Teeny If you were stranded on a deserted island with me Chrissy and Roberta and there was nothing to eat whatsoever, who would you kill for food? Samantha I dispute the question. The odds of that happening are slim to nil. Teeny You still have to answer. Samantha considers her reply. Samantha I guess it would have to be Chrissy. Teeny Why? Because she'd feed more people. They groan and giggle at the thought. Samantha Truth or dare? Teeny Truth. Page 84 Samantha Do you like your parents? Teeny I don't really know my parents. But as far as I can tell they're ass holes. Samantha I believe what that soldier said about your parents not always being right. Just because they're adults, it doesn't mean they know shit. Teeny I never thought they did. Samantha I did. Samantha looks at the floor. She can't keep it in any longer. Samantha My dad moved out. They're getting a divorce. Teeny I thought your parents got along. Samantha I lied. Teeny Why? Samantha thinks about it. Samantha I just wanted to have a normal family. You know like the Brady Bunch. Teeny Six kids sharing two bedrooms doesn't sound like fun to me. Besides, Mike and Carol are widowed. Samantha Well then the Partridge Family. Teeny Shirley Jones is a widow (thinking) Buffy and Jody are orphans. (on a roll) Courtship of Eddie's Father, widower My Three Sons, widower. Bonanza, widower. Page 85 Samantha Beverly Hillbillies, widower. Teeny See Sam, there are no perfect families. It's normal for things to be shitty. Samantha Maybe it is normal but it still hurts. Teeny scoots next to Samantha and puts her arm around her best friend. Samantha All those parents died Teeny. My dad chose to leave. They sit in silence as Samantha finally breaks down and sheds painful tears on Teeny's shoulder. Samantha I really miss him. Teeny It's okay. A moment of sheer heartache. Teeny I'll always be here for you. Samantha's sobs lighten as she pulls away from Teeny and wipes her eyes. Samantha Thanks. We hear a soft thunder rumble. Teeny pulls her David Cassisdy love beads from her neck. Samantha watches curiously as Teeny bites the string in half with her teeth. Samantha What are you doing? You love those. As we hear a light rain fall down on the tree house, Teeny ties one half as a bracelet around Samantha's wrist and the other half around her own wrist. Teeny Best friends for life. Page 86 Samantha lifts her arm and touches her bracelet to Teeny's. Samantha For life. When you're twelve, without effort, you live in the moment. You don't regret the past or worry about the future...and at the moment, in the tree house, Teeny filled my heart with hope and comfort. It thunders again and Samantha looks out the window. A light rain sparkles in the glow of a street light. Samantha We better go. As they climb down from the tree house: Teeny You know, I heard in another ten years half the population will be divorced. Samantha I find that really hard to believe. Ext. Shelby - Later In a mist of rain Samantha and Teeny ride their bikes home. Teeny You can stay at my house if you think the bug is still there. Nicknames catch on in a hurry. Samantha looks at her watch. Samantha He's probably gone. They reach the top off a hill and zoom down it. The race is on until Samantha stops and looks around on the ground. Teeny realizes she's stopped and rides back to her. Teeny What did you lose? Samantha My bracelet fell off. They search the street, looking for the love beads. Thunder roars and Teeny looks up to the sky. Dark clouds roll past the moon. Page 87 Teeny Lets come back and look for it in the morning. Samantha (really upset) No! We have to find it now. Teeny relents and continues with the search. She lays on her stomach and looks down a sidewalk storm drain where the bracelet lies amongst a pile of mud and leaves. Teeny There it is. She reaches for the neckless, but her arms are too short. Samantha joins her and looks down into the drain. Samantha I don't see it. Teeny (pointing) There. Samantha finally spots her friendship gift. Samantha I'll get it. As the rain falls down harder, Sam slides down into the drain. It's a tight fit but she finally squeezes into the sewer. Int. Sewer Samantha looks around the tight space and doesn't notice the thin stream of water trickling in. Samantha There's a lot of stuff down here. Samantha picks up a yo-yo and tosses it up to Teeny, who catches the toy. Teeny Hurry up okay? It's really starting to pour. Samantha sifts through the dead leaves and grabs her bracelet. Samantha Got it. Page 88 Ext. Street A heavy rain pours down. Teeny stands and pulls the hood of her jacket up over her head. A peculiar look comes over her face when she hears the sound of rushing water. She looks around and spots a stream of water which gushes down the side of the street, heading straight for the storm drain. Teeny (alarmed) Samantha! Int. Sewer Samantha tucks the love beads into her pocket as the water begins to pour into the storm drain. Samantha calmly jumps to grab onto the opening, but can't reach it. She jumps again. We realize she's too short to make it back up as the water level quickly rises to Samantha's knees. Samantha (starting to worry) Give me a hand. Teeny reaches into the storm drain and Samantha grabs her hand. Ext. Street With all her little might, Teeny pulls Samantha toward the opening. She gives it a valiant effort, but the enormous water pressure forces Samantha back into the sewer. Int. Sewer A rat squeals and swims around in the water. It jumps on Samantha's shoulder. Samantha screams. Shaking with terror, she pushes it off. But then there's another and another. Samantha Teeny, help me! Ext. Street Teeny hurries to the man hole located over the drain and tugs on the solid iron ring. Page 89 Int. Sewer Samantha cries as the water level raises up to her neck then covers her mouth. She fights for her life, bobbing for air, but it's useless as the water rises to the top of the drain. She disappears under the water and doesn't pop back up. Suddenly, the man hole over the drain flies open and Crazy Pete pops his head through the hole. He quickly climbs down into the sewer and disappears under the water. Moments of agonizing tension go by then finally -- he shoves Samantha out of the water and through the man hole, to safety. Ext. Street Samantha coughs and gasps for breath as Crazy Pete climbs out of the manhole and gently sits her down on the sidewalk. He sweetly strokes Samantha's hair, trying to help calm her. Pete (soothing) You're alright now. Samantha takes a few deep breaths then looks up a Crazy Pete. They lock eyes and share a heartfelt moment. Samantha Thank you. He smiles a silent "your welcome." Pete stands up and offers Samantha a hand up. She immediately entrusts her small hand in his as he delicately pulls her to her feet. Teeny watches, still somewhat shocked by it all. Pete turns to Teeny, who backs away, still frightened by him. Pete Why are you afraid of me? Keeping her distance: Teeny (nervously) It's weird that you only come out at night. It's kind of scary, you know? He looks at her, thinking about it. Understanding why they might fear him. Page 90 Pete I don't like to see a lot of people. And I don't think they like to see a lot of me. Teeny looks into his sad eyes. Teeny I'm sorry. He nods and then like a shadow in the night, Crazy Pete climbs onto his bicycle and rides away in the rain. Samantha and Teeny watch him. Samantha We'll see you around, Pete. He waves as he rides out of sight. Teeny If he wouldn't have been here, Sam... Teeny looks at Samantha with tears in her eyes. Samantha (V.O.) I think that was the most real moment Teeny had ever experienced. It was an event that could conceivably change a person. Bring them out of their world of pretend. But not Teeny. She committed the moment to memory alright and recreated it in an audition years later. But Teeny didn't play Teeny, she played me. Samantha pulls the love beads out of her pocket and hold them up for Teeny to see. Samantha I got 'em Teeny gives Samantha a reprimanding look then breaks into a smile. Samantha returns the gesture. They walk their bicycles home, arm in arm, bonded by their shared fate. Ext. Roberta's House - Morning Samantha, Teeny, and Roberta paint the garage door. Chrissy eats a twinkee and monitors their progress. Page 91 Samantha (V.O.) We told Chrissy and Roberta about what happened with Pete, but neither one of them believed us. And life quickly got back to the business at hand. Earning the rest of the money to buy the tree house and finding a way to help "Dear Johnny" rest in peace. As the girls paint they listen to the radio and sing along to "Sugar, Sugar" by the Archies. Girls Sugar, dun dundun dun dun dun Oh honey honey dun dundun dun dun dun... Chrissy looks over the door with her mother's critical eye. Chrissy Roberta, you missed a spot. Roberta Why don't you get off the asphalt and help? Chrissy (eating the frosting out of the twinkee) You know if I don't eat every few hours I get nauseous. Teeny Wormer Alert. The Wormers walk up the sidewalk, toward the girls who cringe at the sight of them. Chrissy I thought I smelled something foul. Roger That's your arm pit, lard ass. Chrissy Your wit astounds me. Roger Hey, I ain't no nit wit. Scott and Roberta steal a look. He smiles politely and bows to the girls. Scott Ladies. Page 92 He walks on and his brothers follow, confused by Scott's new found gentlemanly manner. Samantha What's his problem? Teeny Maybe he's a pod person. Roberta Maybe he's not such a creep after all. Roberta watches him walk away, love struck. Samantha catches her gaze and realizes Roberta's got a crush. She decided to keep it to herself. Samantha (V.O.) That was the day Roberta quit taping her boobs. Ext. House The girls stand on the porch of this victorian style house. It's a little run dow, but still charming and full of history. A grandma's house. Samantha rings the bell and a moment later, Grandma Albertson opens the door and surveys the group. Grandma I didn't know you were bringing the whole neighborhood. Well, come on in. You're just in time for some fresh squeezed lemonade. Int. House The place is furnished with antiques collected over a lifetime. Grandma acknowledges Samantha with a hug. Grandma How you holdin' up? Samantha Fine Grandma. Grandma It's good to see you child. I've been worried to death about you. The other girls look on, curious once again. Accept for Teeny who Page 93 jumps in and puts her arm around Samantha. Teeny She's just fine Mrs. Albertson. We're taking good care of her. Grandma I'm glad to hear that. Let me get you girls some lemonade and then you can fill me in on this important question you need to ask me. She walks out of the room and Chrissy confronts Samantha. Chrissy Why's your Grandma so worried about you? Samantha shrugs off the question. Samantha Who knows -- But her friends can read her well. Roberta Maybe we can help. Maybe they can and Samantha relents: I'll tell you later, okay? Grandma enters carrying a tray of lemonade and glasses. She sits it down and pours. Grandma Here you go. Chrissy Thank you Mrs. Albertson. The girls all grab a glass and one by one sip the lemonade. One at a time they make wrenching grimaces when they sip the sour drink. Grandma How is it? All (lying) Great. Roberta turns her face, sticks out her tongue and dries it with her shirt sleeve. Grandma sits down in her rocking chair. Page 94 Grandma Now what's this question? Samantha Do you remember a little boy our age and his mother who died here is 1945? Jonathan and Beverly Anne Simms? Grandma (surprised) Why do you ask? Samantha We were wondering how they died. Teeny Did something terrible happen to them? Grandma Yes. And it's the type of thing you girls don't need to hear about. It'll give you nightmares for weeks. Roberta Tell us! Samantha Come on Grandma. What happened? Grandma It took me a long time to forget that terrible tragedy Samantha and I don't want to drudge it up. A look of disappointment reads on Samantha's face. Grandma You know, you're just like your grandpa. He had some weird fascinations. Curious about everything that went around these parts. Samantha's look of disappointment disappears as she contemplates her Grandmother's words. A car horn beeps and Grandma looks at her watch. Grandma That's old Eda and Old Jude. (Standing) I'd love to chat but we've got a Bingo tournament to hit over in Farmland. She grabs her sweater. Page 95 Grandma Get a move on it girls. I wanna make sure I get some good cards. They look to Samantha who shrugs then stands and follows her Grandma out. Ext. House Two old women, Eda and Martha, wait impatiently in a dated Cadillac Coup De Ville. Eda (calling to Grandma) Hurry it up, we're late. Grandma locks the front door and hurries to the car, waiting in her driveway. She turns back to the girls who still stand on the porch. Grandma You girls take care. Come see me again soon Samantha. She climbs into the back seat and the second she closes the door, Eda slams it into gear and peels out down the street. Teeny They must love Bingo. Roberta Looks like we hit another dead end. A devious smile comes acrosses Samantha's face. Samantha You're wrong Roberta. The girls, curiously look to Samantha. Samantha My Grandpa used to keep these scrapbooks of all the stuff that went on in Shelby. He said he was recording history. Roberta Yeah, so? Samantha I know where those scrapbooks are. Page 96 Int. Attic Thin beams of sunlight stream through a few cracks in a boarded up window. Cobwebs hang from the vaulted ceilings. And collectibles from several decades are piled up high in this swap meet junkies paradise. It's a great old place. Suddenly, the room is filled with more light as a board is pulled off the window. Then another until we see Samantha's face staring at us. She yanks open the window and crawls in through the small window. Ext. House Teeny, Roberta and Chrissy climb the television antenna up to the attic window. One by one, they crawl in. Chrissy Hurry it up. We could get arrested for this. She looks around nervously until she finally squeezes in through the window. A tight fit. Int. Attic The girls sort through trunks of old clothes, photographs and historical memorabilia. Teeny stands in front of an old full length mirror and holds up a lacy victorian dress to herself. She tosses it aside and pulls another from a pile. Her face lights up when she notices an old victrola. She cranks the handle and the record spins. Teeny places the needle on the old 78 and we hear a very scratched version of Frank Sinatra's "Young at Heart." Roberta I think I found something. She places a photo album on her lap and opens it up. Samantha sits next to her and they flip through the photos. Close On: A wedding pictures of Samantha's mother and father. Samantha Those are my parents. Roberta They make a great couple. Page 97 Samantha (sad) Yeah. She stands and opens another trunk. Samantha Jackpot. The trunk is filled with newspapers, magazines and several scrap books. Samantha sifts through a stack of newspapers and zero's in on the headline she's looking for. Samantha They were murdered. She pulls out the newspaper and the other girls look. Headline: 2 Dead in Brutal Murder A somber tone overtakes them all as Samantha reads the article. Samantha Beverly Anne Simms and her twelve year old son Jonathan were found brutally murdered late Friday night. Their bodies were discovered by Peter Simms. After leaving the Side Car Pub around midnight he entered his house around twelve fifteen to find his wife and son had been shot to death in their home. The sheriff's department believes a burglar was caught off guard and killed the two witnesses when they apparently woke from their sleep. They have no clues as to a suspect. The sheriff has every reason to believe the robber was probably just passing through and has left the area. (she turns the page) It's an editorial from my Grandpa to the paper. (reading) What appears to be, isn't at all. That's the knowledge we've gained from the brutal deaths of Jonathan and Beverly Anne Simms. If we thought Shelby was a safe sleepy town, sheltered from the violence of the outside world, we were deceived -- Page 98 Chrissy (defensive) Shelby is a safe town. I mean, if something like this could happen here, imagine how bad it is out there. "Young at Heart" ends. The record continues to go around and round. Abruptly, Roberta flings off the needle, grabs the record and smashes it into the mirror, which shatters. She looks at her distorted reflection and begins to sob. Chrissy Roberta, it's okay. Roberta No it's not. No it's not okay. Why did they have to die? Why did she have to die? She sits on the floor and brings her knees to her chest. Cuddling into a ball. Roberta My dad lied to me. He said she died instantly. That a beautiful angel swooped down to earth and took her up to heaven before she had a chance to hurt, for even a second. Why did she have to die and why did he have to lie to me. He's all I have left and he lied. Chrissy He's not all you have left. She sits beside Roberta. Samantha and Teeny quickly follow and they all sit in a circle on the floor. Roberta (crying) All I can count on is you guys. Samantha (confessing) I know how you feel. Roberta (through her tears) What do you mean? Samantha (ashamed) My dad moved away. They're getting a divorce. Page 99 Chrissy A divorce? Roberta I'm sorry Samantha. Teeny Screw 'em. You have us. Chrissy I say we make a pact here and now. We're here for each other, always. No matter what happens in life. If Teeny goes off to Hollywood or I get married to a rich doctor...or a rich lawyer we remember this day and this pact. When we need a friend we're there for each other. We can count on it. No matter what. Samantha lays her hand flat on the floor. Teeny lays hers on top of it. Roberta rests hers on top of Teeny's then Chrissy finishes off the pile. Samantha It's a pact. All All for one and one for all. They share comforted smiles as. Samantha I think now, more than ever, we need to put "Dear Johnny" to rest. Ext. Cemetery - Night The same heavy mist finds its way into the cemetery where we pan through the thick haze and find Samantha, Teeny, Chrissy and Roberta sitting in a circle, preparing to send "Dear Johnny" home. They're somber, serious. Samantha places the three white candles into the center of the circle and lights them one by one. Samantha Is everyone ready? They slowly lay their hands flat on the blanket and join the circle, thumbs and pinkie fingers touching. Page 100 Teeny Roberta Chrissy Ready. Ready. Ready. Samantha We brought "Dear Johnny" back from the dead and it's up to us to send himm home. Everybody close your eyes. The girls comply and shut their eyes tightly. Samantha Bless us in our pursuit of the spirit world. Keep our circle safe from those who promote evil and seek to harm. A moment of silence. Samantha Dear Johnny, we know you and your mother were brutally murdered. Did you come back to tell us who did it? We're here to help you rest in peace, Johnny. We're listening. In the distance we hear a rumble slowly growing louder. Coming closer. The girls all open their eyes at once. Teeny He's here. They look in all directions, searching the fog. Samantha Don't break the circle! They grip lock hands. Samantha We just want to help, Johnny. Chrissy Don't hurt us! Then, from out of the fog floats Dear Johnny's tombstone coming right at them. The girls simultaneously scream. The tombstone dangles in the air. The girls, wide eyed, stare at it as the rumbling dies down. Samantha Tell us who did it Johnny! They echo another scream when a man walks out of the fog, toward Page 101 Teeny It's the killer! Chrissy Don't hurt us! Behind the man, a patch of fog clears and we realize he is a city worker. He climbs off a tractor, which is hauling a new tombstone for Dear Johnny's grave. Man This isn't a playground...It's a cemetery and you kids should have a little respect for the dead. Samantha We have a lot of respect for the dead. Roberta That's why we're here. Samantha We resurrected "Dear Johnny" from the grave. Man Oh, really. Teeny How did you think his tombstone got cracked down the middle? Man I knocked it over with my tractor. Samantha (disappointed) You did? Man It's not easy to mow around all these head stones. He walks over to Dear Johnny's grave and lowers the tombstone. We pan across the faces of four disillusioned girls. Chrissy I'm not doing any more of these dumb seances. They're a waste of time. Roberta I can't believe we actually thought we did it. Page 102 Teeny But what about the tarot cards? Chrissy and Roberta give her a look. Chrissy Give it up. Samantha watches him set Dear Johnny's new headstone. Samantha (V.O.) I knew at that moment our days of playing make believe were over. As we grow older it becomes difficult to just believe. It's not that we don't want to, but too much has happened and we can't. Samantha stuffs the seance supplies into her back pack. Samantha Let's go. They walk out of the cemetery and as they pass a garabage can, Samantha tosses the back pack into the trash. They hop onto their bicycles and as they are about to ride off -- Roberta (looking on) Hey look, it's Crazy Pete. The others follow her gaze and see Crazy Pete sitting on his bicycle watching the worker replace Dear Johnny's headstone. Teeny Let's leave him alone. They ride away, unnoticed by Pete. Ext. Street - Night The girls zoom out of the cemetery and pass a colorful patch of wild flowers growing along the road. Samantha stops. Teeny turns back to her. Teeny What's wrong? Samantha I forgot something in the cemetery. Go on. I'll catch up. The girls ride ahead and disappear out of sight. Page 103 Samantha climbs off of her bike and walks into the flowers. She picks a bouquet. Ext. Cemetery - Dusk Samantha walks through the cemetery, with her flowers in hand. She approaches Dear Johnny's grave (the new tombstone now in place) and stops when she notices another bunch of wild flowers propped up against the headstone. Samantha senses someones's presence and quickly turns to see Pete standing behind her. She looks at him and then back to the flowers on Johnny's grave. She turns back to Pete. Samantha (figuring it out) Pete... You're Peter Simms. Pete (looking at Johnny's grave) He was my son. He looks over to the adjacent grave, where we see flowers propped against Beverly Anne Simm's headstone. Pete And my wife. Samantha It was a terrible thing that happened to them. I'm sorry. Pete For the longest time I thought I could of stopped it. Everyone did. If I'd just been home instead of down at that bar. His pain is clear to Samantha. She reaches over and holds his hand. Samantha But you were there for me. Pete is overwhelmed with emotion as his eyes fill up with tears. He looks down at her sweet face and understands his redemption. Pete I've wasted a lot of years. Afraid to face people. Mostly, afraid to face myself. He sorrowfully realizes his lost life. Page 104 Samantha (understanding) I'm scared too. He squeezes her hand. Grateful for their shared fate, he wants to leave her with something. He chooses his words carefully. Pete Things will happen in your life that you can't stop. But that's no reason to shut out the world. There's a purpose for the good and the bad. She contemplates his words as he releases her hand and walks away, out of the cemetery and back into the world. Samantha (V.O.) He gave me the only gift he could. The lesson it had taken him a lifetime to learn. The girls would have loved to have heard about my talk with Pete, but I chose not to tell them. I believed it was meant to be my moment and I wanted to keep it for myself. Samantha kneels down and places her flowers on Dear Johnny's grave. Samantha Rest in peace, Dear Johnny. Ext. Sears - Day Establishing shot of the old Sears and Roebuck Co. Int. Sears The girls walk through the store, toward the catalogue order counter. Chrissy leads the way and unbeknownst to her each of the other three fall out of line when they spot an item that catches their eye. Teeny picks up a super 8 movie camera and pans it around the store. Roberta climbs into a canoe. Samantha lightly touches the keys of an electronic typewriter. Chrissy reaches the order desk and realizes she's alone. With her hands on her hips she turns to her friends. Page 105 Chrissy You guys. Teeny (looking at her through the camera) Isn't this cool? Roberta pretends to paddle in the canoe. Roberta We could keep saving up and paddle this thing down the Mississippi. Chrissy Samantha? Samantha doesn't respond and types a few word on the typewriter. Chrissy We made a pact. She's right. One by one, they slowly walk away from their individual wants and join Chrissy. They dump out the money and pay for the tree house. Ext. Chrissy's back yard - Day Samantha, Teeny and Roberta hang out at their tree house as Carole King's "You've got a friend" plays. They're no longer dressed alike. Chrissy still wears pink. Roberta wears a white t-shirt and cut offs. Samantha wears a black t-shirt and long blue jeans. Teeny wears short shorts and a tight tube top (modeling her own brand new budding breasts). Chrissy hangs pink curtains. Roberta swings from a rope, hanging down from a tree branch. Teeny looks in a mirror and applies cheap red lipstick to her lips. We pull back to see Samantha sitting on top of the tree house, writing in a journal. Samantha (V.O.) We all used to try so hard to fit in. We wanted to look exactly alike. Do all of the same things. Practically be the same people. And when we weren't looking, that changed. The tree house was supposed to bring us more independence, but what the summer actually brought us was independence from each other. Ext. Gaslight Addition - Mid Morning Page 106 A group of girls whiz by Chrissy's house on their roller blades and we realize it's present day. A calm comes over the neighborhood and then Wham! Chrissy's front door files open and out rushes Roberta. She surveys the driveway. A rental car is parked behind her Jeep. Roberta (calling out) Samantha! She's right behind her. Samantha (frazzled) What? We hear a scream from inside the house. Roberta You're blocking my jeep. Samantha I'll get the keys. She turns back to the door to find Chrissy and Teeny heading out. Teeny It's coming now. I swear I saw it's head. Chrissy You didn't see its head. Roberta Samantha, get the keys. Another contraction hits and Chrissy let's out a whale that startles the neighborhood. Teeny Forget the keys. We'll take the limo. Chrissy (excited) The limo? Teeny passes Chrissy over to Samantha who slowly walks her toward the limo. Teeny runs back inside and a moment later heads out, carrying Chrissy's overnight bag and talking on a cellular phone. Teeny (on phone) Doctor Morton Williams please. Page 107 Roberta hurries ahead of them, carrying Chrissy's suitcase. She approaches the limo driver...who sits behind the wheel reading a book. Roberta Hop out. Driver Pardon me? Roberta I've got a pregnant lady here and I need to get her to the hospital. Driver No problem ma'am. Just tell me where it is and I'll get you there in a jiffy. Roberta A jiffy's not fast enough. Roberta flings open the car door. Roberta (incredibly threatening) I said move it buster. Intimidated by her tone, the driver steps out of the car. Roberta scoots in behind the wheel just as Chrissy climbs into the back. Samantha follows her. Teeny, still on the cellular, climbs in. Roberta floors it and takes off. Int. Limo Teeny hangs up the cellular phone. Teeny (to Chrissy) Morton's in the middle of a root canal. He'll meet us atd the hospital as soon as he can. Chrissy, oblivious to Teeny, stretches out and puts her feet up. Chrissy There's koodles of room back here. As she looks around the luxurious ride. Chrissy Is that a VCR? I can't believe there's a VCR in here. Roberta, there's a VCR in here. Page 108 Roberta throws her a look in the rear view mirror and peels around the corner. Chrissy Let's watch a movie. Samantha You want to watch a movie at a time like this? Teeny pops a tape into the VCR and on Television: It's Teeny in a love scene with some sexy TV star stud. Teeny This is a clip from my new series, Miami Beach Heat. They all watch and then Aaaaaaaaaaah! Another contraction hits Chrissy. Teeny grabs Chrissy's hand. The pain is intense and it freaks Samantha out. Samantha Shit. Chrissy No swearing around my baby. Int. Delivery Room Chrissy Shiiiiiiiit Chrissy, feet up in the stirrups gives it a big push. Samantha holds one hand and Teeny holds her other. Chrissy Get it out! Roberta, who we realize is Chrissy's doctor, calms Chrissy as she delivers the baby. Roberta Remember to breathe and look at your focal point. Chrissy looks up at Teeny who makes a ridiculous goofy face. Chrissy's laugh turns into another scream as -- Roberta Push Chrissy! Push! Chrissy I changed my mind about the drugs. Page 109 Roberta It's too late. Chrissy Give me the drugs or I'll kill you! Roberta Push. Chrissy Aaaaaaaah! Samantha (in awe) Oh, my God I see its little head. Chrissy Is it a boy or a girl? Roberta It's just the head, Chrissy. This is going to be a big one now. One more push. Chrissy grunts and gives it all she's got. Teeny You can do it. You can do it. Roberta Push. Push. Push. Chrissy I want it out of me. Samantha Come on Chrissy! Ahhhhhh! Her face is flushed and filled with pain as she pushes with every ounce of strength she has left. And then the look on her face changes when she hears her baby cry. Roberta It's a girl. Roberta rests the little child, still attached to its umbilical chord, on Chrissy's stomach. Chrissy, exhausted and drench in sweat, smiles the biggest smile as she strokes her baby girl. Teeny, laughs the most joyful laugh we've ever heard. Samantha, overwhelmed by the birth of life, cries big tears. Roberta hugs her and they share in Teeny's laughter. Just then, Morton, wearing a dentist's smock, comes into the room. Morton Am I too late? Page 110 The women step aside and he see's his wife and baby. Morton Hello, dear. If you haven't figured it out already, Morton is the nerd who's fortune Samantha told. Roberta hands him a pair of surgical scissors. Roberta You're just in time. The women look on with amazement as Morton cuts the umbilical chord. Samantha Was there ever a more innocent child? (looking on with awe) Welcome to this world, little one. Chrissy, overjoyed, looks at them all. Chrissy I've got a baby girl. Ext. Gaslight Addition - Day A group of kids whiz by on their bicycles. They're in a hurry. Ext. Chrissy's Backyard It's another beautiful fall day. Int. Tree House The women sit in the tree house and really catch up. Chrissy attempts to hand her newborn to Samantha, who protests. Samantha No really, I'll break her. Chrissy No you won't. Come on. She hands the baby to Samantha, who awkwardly holds her. The baby squirms a little and instinctually Samantha holds her close. The baby reaches her hand out and Samantha caresses her tiny fingers. Samantha smiles at her and the little one seems to smile back. Page 111 Samantha She really is beautiful. Roberta I think she favors Morton. Chrissy (sarcastic) You're so funny Roberta. Cindy sure is one lucky girl. Why I bet she laughs from morning til night. Samantha (to Roberta) How is Cindy? Chrissy jumps right in. Chrissy They're thinking about adopting. (all knowing) It's considered acceptable now. Samantha (mocking her) Really? Teeny (reaching for the baby) Can I hold her? Samantha hands Teeny the baby who immediately starts to cry. Teeny Nice baby. She hands her back to Chrissy who coddles her lovingly. Samantha Chrissy, truth or dare? Chrissy Truth. Samantha Are you happy? Chrissy Oh, fiddle stix yes. I'm so happy I feel like I could just bust and happiness would shoot out all over everywhere. Teeny That's sick. Page 112 Roberta Teeny, truth or dare? Teeny Truth. Roberta Just how big are your boobs now? Teeny proudly sticks out her chest. 36 D And worth every penny. Sam, truth or dare? Sam Truth. Teeny Are you happy? Sam looks down at the ground. It's hard for her to open up. Samantha Not really, no. I was thinking about "Dear Johnny" yesterday. Teeny (remembering) God, we loved a mystery. Roberta How much fun did we have that summer? Teeny I used to send Pete a Christmas card every year....with some cash. Chrissy (touched) I didn't know that. Teeny Last year it came back in the mail. He died. Samantha Pete was Dear Johnny's father. Roberta Teeny Chrissy What? He was? How do you know that? Page 113 Samantha I went back to the cemetery the day we had that last seance and Pete was there putting flowers on Johnny's grave. He said something that didn't mean as much to me then as it does now. They all look at her, waiting to hear more. Samantha I've wasted so many years. Teeny What are you talking about Sam? Samantha As of my latest break, I've had five relationships in six years and failed at every one. Chrissy Maybe you should integrate color into your wardrobe. Men love pastels on a woman. Samantha It's not about the men, it's about me. I'm the one who pushes the self destruct button. I reach a certain point and I just can't take it to the next level. Teeny (understanding) The "intimacy" level? Samantha You can't get hurt if you don't fall in love. Roberta But it sure is lonely all by yourself. The truth to Roberta's words brings tears to Samantha's eyes. Samantha I know Roberta. Teeny puts her arm around Samantha, once again providing comfort for her friend. Samantha looks at Chrissy. Samantha It's not that I don't want what you have. It's just that I don't think it's possible to keep it forever. Page 114 Teeny I'm not sure I do either, but love fool that I am, I just keep trying. She brings a smile to Samantha. Samantha You always were the hopeful one. Teeny And you still think too much. Chrissy We all had disappointments growing up, but you're responsible for yourselves now. You need to look at the hurt, let it go and make your own way. Everybody looks at Chrissy, shocked by her insight. Samantha Chrissy, that's actually an enlightened statement. Chrissy Contradictory to what you poopalas think, I don't just sit around and watch game shows all day. I find the talk shows are informative and intellectually stimulating. Roberta Thank you, Oprah. Samantha looks around. Samantha We were lucky to have this place... She looks at them all. Samantha And each other. They exchange warm smiles. Samantha Part of me wishes I could stay here. Teeny Well, I wouldn't go that far. But it would be nice to come back and visit more often. Samantha Let's make it a pact. Page 115 Teeny places her hand on top of Samantha's. As the others follow her lead. Samantha (V.O.) Loss of innocence is inevitable. I've always believed you can never go home again, but maybe you can. Chrissy places her hand on top of the pile. Chrissy All for one and one for all. Kid (O.S.) Red rover red rover send Kathy right over. Samantha looks out the window and sees next door, a group of neighborhood kids playing red rover. Samantha Come on. Ext. Neighbor's back yard A big game of red rover in full swing. Samantha, Teeny, Roberta and Chrissy stand along the chain length fence and watch, wanting to join in. They exchange playful looks. Samantha (V.O.) You can run from the disappointments you're trying to forget. But it's only when you embrace your past, that you truly move forward. Teeny nudges Samantha Teeny You ask. Samantha shouts out to the kids. Samantha Hey, can we play? The kids look at them like they're crazy. But finally -- Little Girl Sure. Samantha, Teeny, and Roberta hop the fence. Chrissy waddles around to the gate. Page 116 Teeny Come on Chrissy. As she slowly makes her way over to the game: Chrissy Excuse me, but I just passed the equivalent of a nine pound kidney stone. You're lucky I'm standing. Samantha Okay, who's it going to be? Teeny sizes up the competition. Teeny Nerdy kid on the end. Chrissy That's Willie Wormer. Roberta Scott's kid. Teeny No kidding. Samantha Willie Wormer it is. (to opposition) Red rover red rover, send Willie Wormer right over. Willie takes a run. Picks up speed. Plows between Samantha and Teeny, but falls back on his ass. The four women remain united, hand in hand and all smiles. We pull back into an aerial shot of the Gaslight Addition -- moving farther and farther into the sky. Samantha (V.O.) Our world got bigger during the summer of 1970 -- The Gaslight Addition slowly grows tinier and tinier until we can no longer make out that it's there. Samantha (V.O.) -- and the Gaslight Addition got smaller. Fade to Black: The End Page 1 | Page 2